Pink and Say
Mila and I were recently visiting family in Colorado. While we were there, we stepped into the historic Carnegie library in Trinidad, Colorado. Their ground floor is a the children’s section and Mila picked up a book and asked me to read it to her. It was Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco.
It is a heart-wrenching Civil War story of a young former slave fighting for the Union – Pink – who saves the life of another young Union soldier – Say, who is white and an antecedent of Ms. Polacco. The story is true and has been handed down over the generations in her family.
It is a story of friendship, bravery, and sacrifice. There is death and it is war story, but it is simple, real and truthful and I don’t think there is a need to shy away from reading it to your child (Mila is six) but you may want to read it for yourself first to assess you own comfort level.
The bottom-line is that, unless you are a robot, Pink and Say will choke you up. And those emotions will be raw and genuine not the result of some pat string pulling.
Pinkus Aylee, Mila and I promise to remember you. Always.
